Cold Water

Had the pup (7 months) out at the lake tonight, made several great and steady retrieves, singles doubles...all in all in a great afternoon! Until I decided to do one more fun bumper. We'd walked for a little around the lake and I decided to do one more fun bumper just so she could swim a bit more. She took about three steps into the water and turned around and came back, it was easy to see that she wanted to retrieve it (she even ran out on a log to try to get closer to it) but she didn't want to get back in the cool water.

I'd keeep the pup out of the water until spring when water temps get to 55+. Keeping a great water attitude is important. Why risk it? There are tons of things on the training flow chart that can be done on land between now and then at your pup's age .

I'm wishing that I had a more specific water temp. I have nothing to judge on other than dipping my hands...it was noticeably cooler than air-temp.

What I learned about reading her: she was still charging hard on the land retrieves, slowing down a touch in the water. Her drive was up, but it's clear she was telling me something; now I know. Especially after seeing her willing charging in again the next day it's totally clear she had reached her cold point.

Where am I in training? She is very reliable with OB: come, sit, heel...even with decent distractions. Retrieving machine, steady for singles and doubles. I'm working from Chris Akin's Duck Dog Basics.

I just started FF today.

She won't be in the water until things warm up. Between working on FF, yardwork and constantly tightening up her OB there will be plenty of time for things to get really cold around here. Hopefully by spring she'll be ready to hit it all hard!

I have never been a professional dog trainer in one aspect. Ive always trained my dogs to basically retrieve the birds and always read my dogs to see what they did or did'nt like. The main thing was for them to use their nose find the bird and bring it back to the blind. Another thing that could of kept ur dog from going into the water is the obstacle the tree itself. It could also be that she wasnt comfortable with the decline of the bank. Glad to hear she is doing just fine now!